New Line Acquires Rights To Fantasy Adventure Novel ‘Homerooms And Hall Passes’

O’Donnell’s book puts a twist on your typical fantasy story. The novel follows a group of adventurers who exist in a fantasy world. During the day they embark on quests and battle evil wizards and when they get home from their busy day of slaying, they unwind by engaging in a role-playing aptly titled game “Homerooms and Hall Passes” where they assume the identities of average eighth-graders. All is fun and games until an ancient curse sends the young adventurers into a world of mundane suburbia. While there, they must band together to survive their toughest adventure yet: middle school.

Homerooms and Hall Passes
is set to be published by Balzer & Bray, an imprint at Harper Collins, in October 2019. O’Donnell is also known for his
Hamstersaurus Rex
series as well as the
Space Rocks!
series. In addition to novels, he has written for
The New Yorker
and
McSweeney
’s. On the TV side, he has written for
Right Now Kapow
on Disney XD,
Billy on the Street
on truTV as well as
Jeff & Some Aliens
and
TripTank
on Comedy Central.

Next up for New Line is
The Curse of La Llorona
on April 19. Their genre-centric slate also includes
Shaft
(June 14),
Annabelle Comes Home
(June 28),
The Kitchen
(Aug. 9) and
It Chapter Two
(Sept. 6).

O’Donnell is repped for book to film by Holly Frederick at Curtis Brown Ltd. and for screenwriting by Verve and Circle of Confusion.